Religious Freedom, Minority Rights and the State of Democracy in Indonesia

Monash Asia Seminars – Special CSEAS Seminar

Prof Adnan Buyung Nasution

Prof Nasution is one of Indonesia’s leading rights lawyers. Buyung was personally responsible for drafting the Joint Decree on Ahmadiyah and has been heavily involved in Ahmadi-related issues. He has also been outspoken in defence of minority ‘deviant sects’ and very critical of MUI (i.e. the yoga fatwa etc, when he performed yoga for the press to challenge MUI). He has also been involved in several of the church disputes.

Adnan Buyung Nasution S. H., University of Indonesia, Jakarta. International Law, University of Melbourne, Australia. DR(Iur), Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht, the Netherlands. Member of International Commission of Jurists, 1996 – 2006. Member of Presidential Advisory Council of the Republic of Indonesia. Honorary Professorial Fellow from Melbourne Law School, Australia.

Prof Nasution is a pioneer of legal aid and law reform of Indonesia. He used to be a Public Prosecutor at Special District Court of Jakarta in 1957 until 1961. Further, from 1962 up to 1968 he was the Head of Public Relations and Politics at Attorney Generals office. Simultaneously, he seat in Indonesian Parliament during the period of 1966 until 1968. In 1969 he was admitted to the Bar as Advocate and found Law Firm Adnan Buyung Nasution and Associates that was became the root of this firm. One year later, in 1970 he established the first Legal Aid and Human Rights Organization in the Republic of Indonesia. During the period of 1986 until 1987 he defended the highly controversial case of General H.R. Dharsono, who opposed Soeharto, the President of the Republic of Indonesia at that time. HR Dharsono was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in jail and DR Nasution’s license to practice law was suspended by the Government, allegedly for Contempt of Court.